Across the Plains

In 1879, author Robert Louis Stevenson traveled from Great Britain to New York. From there, he took a train across the United States to San Francisco. His reflections on the trip were later published as a series of memoirs. In this reading set are excerpts from sections of the first chapter of the book.

The Emigrant Train

Robert Louis Stevenson was a famous author of adventure novels. In one of his nonfiction travel books, he writes about his trip to the United states. In this passage, he tells of his meeting with a railroad newsboy. At that time, a newsboy was a boy who traveled on a…

Leaves from the Notebook of an Emigrant Between New York and San Francisco

Robert Louis Stevenson, a native of Scotland, took a train trip from New York to San Francisco in 1879. This is from the beginning of his trip. —————————————————– Tuesday.-When I awoke, it was already day; the train was standing idle; I was in the last carriage, and, seeing some others…

The Plains of Nebraska

Robert Louis Stevens was a Scottish author, famous for his novels Kidnapped and Treasure Island. In 1879 he took a trip across the U.S. In this passage he talks about crossing the plains of Nebraska on the train. —————————— It had thundered on the Friday night, but the sun rose…

Fellow-Passengers

In 1879 famed Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson traveled by ship across the Atlantic to New York, then by train to San Francisco. He wrote of his travels in his book Across the Plains. In this passage he reflects on the other passengers on the train. ———————————————– I had by…

To the Golden Gates

In 1879, Scottish author and poet Robert Louis Stevenson took a train from New York City to San Francisco. He wrote about this trip in his travel memoir Across the Plains. This passage is about his arrival in San Francisco after a long and difficult trip across the Great Plains…

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